'After 50 Years, She Found Me': 82-Year-Old Gatekeeper of Haunted Rajasthani Village Opens Up About His First Love
The town, though, having obtained an air of abandonment, has its sole resident, a 82-year-old gatekeeper - who has lived most of his life in this place.
Abandoned since 19th century, the town of Kuldhara stands in the heart of Thar desert in Rajasthan. Believed to be haunted, Kuldhara wears a deserted look and it resembles nothing like its old self.
The town, though, having obtained an air of abandonment, has its sole resident, a 82-year-old gatekeeper - who has lived most of his life in this place. He recently spoke to Humans of Bombay about the story of his first love.
Instagram/Humans of Bombay
※I was in my 30s when I first met Marina每she'd come to Jaisalmer from Australia, for a desert safari. It was a 5 day trip & I taught her to ride a camel! This was the 1970s每un dino, pehli nazar mein pyaar ho jata tha!" the gatekeeper said as he opened about his touching love story.
For both of them, it was love at first sight, as he recalls it.
Before she left for Australia, Marina opened up about her feelings and said "I love you" to the man who had fallen for her at first sight. It left the gatekeeper motionless as he was overwhelmed by the moment, but he says she understood his silence. The two continued to stay in touch after she flew back to Australia.
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Later, she invited him to Australia and he went to extreme length to arrange for his expenses. He took a loan of Rs 30,000, without informing his family, and stayed there for three months.
"Those 3 months were magical每she taught me English, I taught her to do the ghoomar. But then she said, 'Let's get married & settle in Australia!'每things got complicated," he said.
He wasn't ready to leave India, she wasn't ready to settle down in India. With a heavy heart, they parted ways.
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Back home, he got married under his family's pressure and took up the job as the gatekeeper of Kuldhara. "But I'd often think about Marina每'Would she have gotten married?', 'Will I ever see her again?' but I never had the courage to write to her," he said.
His memories faded as time flew by. His sons grew up and moved out and his wife died two years ago.
He continued, "And here I was, an 82-year-old man, gatekeeping India's haunted village. And just when I thought life couldn't surprise me anymore, it did! A month ago, Marina wrote to me; she asked, 'How are you, my friend?' After 50 years, she found me! Since then, she calls me every day; we have so much to catch up on!"
Marina told him that she never got married and was planning to come to India soon. "Ramji ki kasam, I feel like I'm 21 again!" he said while adding, "I don't know what the future holds, but knowing that my first love is back in my life & talks to me every day is a feeling I can't explain."
Life has come a full circle, for the Rajasthan man.
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